Intern Pharmacist 2027- Alice Springs Hospital

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Intern Pharmacist – 2027

The Alice Springs Hospital (ASH) Pharmacy Department is seeking a motivated pharmacy graduate to join our 2027 Intern Pharmacist Program.

This position offers a unique opportunity to complete your internship in one of Australia's most diverse and clinically rewarding healthcare environments. Working within a supportive and progressive pharmacy department, you will gain experience across all aspects of hospital pharmacy practice while completing the requirements for registration as a pharmacist with the Pharmacy Board of Australia.

As an intern at ASH, you will develop broad clinical skills, work closely with experienced pharmacists and multidisciplinary teams, and gain exposure to a scope of practice rarely encountered in metropolitan centres.

Why Alice Springs Hospital?

Alice Springs Hospital is a 200+ bed regional referral hospital providing acute and specialist services across a vast 1.6 million km² catchment area spanning Central Australia.

ASH supports a dynamic and often transient population of more than 42,000 people across remote and regional communities. Pharmacists here practise with genuine clinical autonomy and contribute meaningfully to patient care across a broad range of specialties. ASH is a teaching hospital with strong links to Australian pharmacy schools and the Flinders University Medical Program.

The Hospital Provides Services Including

• Indigenous Health
• Nephrology
• Intensive Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Maternity and Obstetrics
• Paediatrics and Neonatal Care
• Rehabilitation
• Palliative Care
• Hospital in the Home
• Oncology
• General Medicine and Surgery

About Our Pharmacy Department

The ASH Pharmacy Department is a modern and progressive service comprising:

• 20 Pharmacists
• 7 Pharmacy Technicians
• 1 Intern Pharmacist

Services Include

• Ward-based clinical pharmacy services
• Inpatient and outpatient dispensing
• Drug information services
• Non-sterile manufacturing
• Medicines governance and quality improvement activities
• Regional support to remote health clinics across the NT, WA, SA and QLD border regions

We are known for our collaborative culture, strong mentorship and commitment to developing early-career pharmacists. Pharmacists work closely together, openly share knowledge and support one another to deliver high-quality patient care.

What You Will Do

Under the supervision of registered pharmacists, you will:

• Assist with inpatient and outpatient dispensing and patient counselling.
• Provide ward-based clinical pharmacy services in accordance with departmental procedures and AdPha Standards of Practice.
• Participate in medication reconciliation, clinical review and multidisciplinary care.
• Assist with pharmaceutical manufacturing, including non-sterile products.
• Provide culturally appropriate medicines information to patients and staff.
• Assist with medication safety initiatives, quality improvement projects and policy implementation.
• Support drug distribution services and maintenance of accurate prescription records.
• Participate in structured clinical rotations throughout the department.
• Participate in weekend and public holiday rosters.
• Travel to Tennant Creek Hospital and remote locations when required to gain broader regional experience.
• Complete the requirements of the Intern Training Program (ITP) and Pharmacy Board registration.

Clinical Rotations And Regional Experience

Intern pharmacists rotate through a variety of clinical and operational areas approximately every 3-4 weeks, providing exposure to:

• General Medicine
• Surgery
• Paediatrics
• Maternity and Neonatal Services
• Intensive Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Renal Services
• Mental Health
• Dispensary Services
• Medicines Information
• Manufacturing

One of the unique aspects of the internship is the opportunity to spend time at Tennant Creek Hospital, approximately 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs. Intern pharmacists may have the opportunity to accompany pharmacists providing services to Tennant Creek, travelling by light aircraft with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) or chartered flights.

This experience provides valuable insight into rural and remote healthcare delivery and allows interns to gain exposure to pharmacy practice across multiple service settings within Central Australia.

Beyond Internship – Building Your Pharmacy Career

Many pharmacists come to Alice Springs for an internship or early-career opportunity and choose to stay. We are proud that many of our interns remain with the Alice Springs Hospital Pharmacy Department following registration, progressing into resident and clinical pharmacist positions and developing long-term careers within our service.

ASH has been an accredited AdPha Foundation Residency Program site since 2017 and continues to invest heavily in the development of early-career pharmacists. Successful interns are encouraged to apply for ongoing positions within the department, where they can continue to develop advanced clinical skills through structured mentorship, education and residency opportunities.

Our Foundation Residency Program supports pharmacists to consolidate and expand their clinical practice while developing leadership, teaching, research and quality improvement skills.

Benefits

Employment Benefits

• Competitive NT Health salary package.
• 15% Market Allowance paid on top of base salary.
• $10,000 retention bonus payable following 12 months of continuous service.
• 12% Superannuation.
• Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:21pm (1 hour lunch break).
• Participation in weekend and public holiday shifts working in a technician capacity with additional penalty payments.
• Six weeks annual recreation leave plus leave loading.
• Relocation reimbursement.
• Salary sacrifice of up to $9,005 per annum plus additional packaging options.
• Paid study leave for Intern Training Program activities.
• Access to government-supported postgraduate study opportunities.
• Potential access to subsidised on-site accommodation (subject to availability).

Professional Development

• Structured internship supervision.
• Dedicated support for completion of ITP requirements, including paid study leave
• Regular clinical teaching sessions.
• 3–4 weekly clinical rotations across multiple specialty areas.
• Professional Development Allowance based on years of completed service (= $1000 for 1-3 years & $2k for 3+ years of service).
• Intern pharmacists may be eligible for funding support through the 8CPA and other rural pharmacy workforce programs to assist with travel and accommodation costs associated with professional development activities.

Are You the Right Candidate?

We Encourage You To Apply If You

• Are completing or have completed a Pharmacy degree and are eligible to commence internship requirements.
• Are enthusiastic about hospital pharmacy practice.
• Have strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate initiative, professionalism and a willingness to learn.
• Can work effectively both independently and within a multidisciplinary team.
• Have strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Are interested in working with culturally diverse populations and remote healthcare services.

Please See Attached Job Description For More Details.

Life in Central Australia

Central Australia offers a lifestyle unlike anywhere else in Australia.

The West MacDonnell Ranges are on your doorstep, with opportunities for hiking, camping, mountain biking, swimming and exploring some of Australia's most spectacular landscapes. The Larapinta Trail, Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta are all within easy reach.

Alice Springs has a vibrant and welcoming community, strong sporting facilities, gyms, cycling groups, local cafés, festivals and an active arts and cultural scene. Many people are surprised by how quickly they build friendships and become part of the community.

The climate supports an outdoor lifestyle, with warm sunny days, spectacular sunsets and some of the clearest night skies in the world.

Many pharmacists initially come to Alice Springs for a year of professional development and adventure. Quite a few stay much longer. The breadth of clinical practice, supportive team culture, opportunities for advancement and unique lifestyle create an environment where pharmacists can rapidly accelerate their professional growth while making a genuine difference to the communities they serve.

Applications

Applications for the 2027 Intern Pharmacist Program are now open. Please apply HERE

For Further Information Please Contact

Stephanie Giles

Director of Pharmacy

Alice Springs Hospital Pharmacy Department

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